Every Bit Of Me
by Nilaexn
Summary: Meet Zexion Kael, 16, high schooler, pianist, and totally in love with his best friend, Demyx Intre. Problem? Demyx is head over heels over head for Naminé Foot. Another problem? Well, Nocturne, Demyx’s band, tours the world soon. Is Zexion... jealous?
1. Without A Whisper

**Author Notes:** Hah, new story... I probably should have updated 'King For A Day' first... Oops. Well, it's not like anyone really wanted the next chapter, anyway. That made me very sad -sniff-

But then I started writing this, just for the hell of it, and now I'm happy again. My first non-angst fic! For now, anyway. This was _supposed_ to be quite angsty, but now it's not... :D

**Summary:** Meet Zexion Kael, 16, high schooler, pianist, and totally in love with his best friend, Demyx Intre. Problem? Demyx is head over heels over head for Naminé Foot. Another problem? Well, Nocturne, Demyx's band, tours the world in a few months. Jealous much?

**Dedication:** I dedicate this story to Zume-Chan! Again, yes, but there's a reason for this that may or may not be revealed at a later stage in time, depending on how I feel. Zume, this story's for you! (Not just the chapter, this time :P)

**Disclaimer:** -Takes headphones off ears- What'd you say? Disclaimer time? Oh, well ME NO OWN KINGDOM HEARTS. Or anything else in here. 'Cept the plotline. And Zexion's Mom XD -Puts headphones back on-

--IX-VI--

**-Without A Whisper-**

This sucks. Fully, completely, ultimately _sucks_.

But then, I could be talking about anything, couldn't I? My job sucks. My Mom sucks. School sucks. That random down the street with the hat and shitty attitude sucks. So, in short, I'm saying we all suck.

But what's so extremely sucky that I'm rambling on about it - something that I normally don't do? Well, I suppose I should tell you.

My name is Zexion Kael. I am sixteen, in high school, and one of the best students there, I might add. I play piano, and I play well. I have an imaginative... gene, you could call it, to help me write and a creative, artistic one to help me draw. I don't have many friends, but that's because I don't trust many people. And I just happen to be absolutely, infallibly in love with my best friend; Demyx Intre. Who, I must say, is pining after a girl named Naminé Foot. Oh, and did I mention we're both guys? Well, I have now.

Now, this is all fine and dandy. I'm used to being rejected the things I want, it's kinda sorta pretty much the story of my life. But I have to say, if there is one thing I love with a passion, it's music. Alternative, rock, jazz, heavy metal, whatever. It's music. The thing I love most, though, is making music. So I do it the best I can.

In fact, I loved it so much, that I decided to introduce it to my uber-best-friend, the one that I'm head over heels over head in love with, when we were both eight. He took a shine to it. Real quickly. He found an instrument, learned how to play and still plays it now, in a really big band that has toured half the world. Twice.

I think to myself, wonder why _I'm_ not up there, duking it out with the best of them. And then I think, _'Oh, it's probably because I'm not good enough.'_ My self-esteem gets knocked down, and I get stuck in a big hole of self-imposed depression.

Demyx doesn't know, though. I'd never tell him. He'd feel too bad, and that would make my heart go crazy. Like in a mad, crazy, freaking hurting kind of way. Then I'd probably start trying to cover my tracks and no doubt some things would be said and I would run from the room in embarrassment.

_Knock, knock._

And that would be him, right on time as usual. I must be mad, letting him come over when I can barely _stand _in his presence. Then again, he did ask if he could come. Said he had something to tell me.

This _sucks_. My heart thumped for a moment then. I'd been thinking about what he might have to tell me. Or, more accurately, I'd been _fantasizing._ Yeah.

Our house (my _Mom's_, I should be saying. It's not mine... yet) was fairly small. It was me, Mom and my two brothers; Riku and Saïx. Saïx hasn't been round for a while, though. And I'm not too fond of him, 'cause he pulled apart my keyboard when I was five and refused to put it back together. Yeah, my grudges last a looong time. I've got a small five-year-running grudge against Axel for burning my teddy bear, Mr. Muffins.

Anyway, I walked out of my ridiculously small room, through a narrow hallway into an equally as ridiculously small lounge. Mom was already at the door, chatting away with Demyx (who was still standing outside, I noticed), My heart thumped at the sight of him, and I mentally yelled at myself for being so emotionally unstable. Whoops, there goes another coupla self-esteem points.

"Hey Dem," I greeted, stopping myself from saying anything else by yawning and stretching out. "So, how are you?" Well, almost anything. But I managed to stop myself from saying anything that would have me slamming my head against the nearest solid object possible.

Demyx smiled, spotting me. "Hey, Zexi!" Ugh, my nickname. The one that I both loved and detested. "Thanks for letting me come over today! It means a lot to me. Especially since Larxene's home, and she has her posse over." He made a face at the thought of his sister, Larxene Intre.

He wouldn't know it, but the sentence _'It means a lot to me'_ made those porcupines in my tummy jump around like crazy. Yes, porcupines. The butterflies went on vacation, so the moths came in. Some local frogs were hungry and ate the moths, then settled in. And then, over the space of about two minutes, thirty-seven seconds and a half in Demyx's company, they had genetically mutated into porcupines. Porcupines that seemed to hate my guts. Or my stomach. Whatever.

"He's doing it again!"

"Meh. Don't worry about him, he'll come to in a few seconds and no doubt his face'll be a shade so red it'll put tomatoes to shame. And then they'll all sue him for trauma."

"Huh, what?" I shook myself out of my thinking trance to see two pairs of eyes looking at me. One was the familiar do-what-I-say-or-I-will-disembowel-you-with-a-blunt-kitchen-utensil brown coloured eyes. The other was a pair of bright, wide and familiar cerulean coloured eyes and they were staring. Right. At. Me. It was very awkward.

Totally against my will, I blushed. Damn you, traitorous, disloyal, now-very-pink cheeks! If those tomatoes decide to sue, I'll blame it all on you and you'll have to make your own living as a bum! Ha! We'll see how you like _them_ apples!

Demyx laughed, leaning back (out of my face, thankfully). "Well, Zexion, can you keep your feet on the ground long enough for me to tell you something?"

Oh, yeah. Well, there goes my heart trying to out-beat a rabbits. "I'm not _that_ bad," I protested, "I just have lots of stuff on my mind at the moment. So, you had something to tell me?" I asked. I think I sounded kind of pathetic. I sounded... hopeful? Yea, that's the word.

The blond grinned, rolling his eyes. "Suuuuure you do, Zexi," he smiled. "Anyway, I decided that, since it was you that got me into this in the first place, I'd tell you first."

It was possibly the worst thing he could have said. I froze at those words, my blood feeling for all the world like sub-zero frozen coke. I had to fight as the jealously tried to overcome what I felt for him. Which, let me tell you, wasn't a very hard thing to do at the moment. That green-eyed monster of mine is a _brute._

Demyx continued on and on and I had to make sure I looked like I was paying attention. "So, Luxord, the president of possibly _the_ largest music label in this country, came and offered my band a deal! We go on tour in a few months with Eternal. You know, the band that brought Zebra Print back into style? Lead singer's some dude named Xemnas - pretty creepy in my opinion - and their no. 1 hit song whatever's called 'Indeed'."(1)

Honestly, totally, completely did _not_ know exactly why he was telling me this. I mean about the extra random facts. Sure, this deal was _big._ Like, 'Let's go tour the world!' big. Yeah. Not doing much good for that freaking jealously monster of mine. What was worse: I wasn't invited. But I planned to change that some time soon.

I nodded while Demyx kept talking, sighing in relief when he finally stopped. "Well, well done, Dem. You did well," I said through a fake smile. How he thought I was sincere, I do not know. "So, are you planning on staying, or are you off again?" I asked. In a way, I wanted him to stay. In another, I wanted him to _leave now_ and not come back for a while. A _long_ while.

For a while he just stared into nothing before he blushed and tried to hide it with a shake of his head. It didn't. "Uh... I should probably go. I think I'm wanted." He smiled a sheepish, slightly embarrassed grin.

I smiled a bitter smile, seeing through his pretenses like you would through rice-paper (which actually has no rice in it). "Who is it?"

Demyx jumped. "Who is what?"

I laughed. He was funny when he was trying to cover something up. "You know what I'm talking about, Dem. Tell me, before I employ Mom to disembowel you with a spork."

He blushed, and in a very small and insignificant voice, said, "Naminé."

Ah. Affirmation. I was right after all. My heart plummeted right to the bottom, further down than it had been when he told me about his deal. Well, maybe not. Maybe it floated just a little bit above that place. Yeah, jealously has a lot to say for my behavior recently.

"I'm... gonna go now, Zexi, but thanks for listening to me," Dem announced, getting ready to leave. Then his phone beeped; he had a txt. So, he pulled out his phone, checked it and made a face. He turned back to me, still standing outside. "On second thought, would it be alright if I stayed the night?"

Oh, great. Now I get to add the heart-trauma of having him _here_ all night to the jealousy of his music deal and his feelings for Naminé. Well, that's one freaking yuck cup of tea, obviously not meant for me. And hey, I hate it so much it made me rhyme. I hate that, too.

I nodded. "Yeah, sure, of course. My home is your home, whenever you want it. Of course, that is, metaphorically, of course, otherwise you'd be paying the rent, and electricity bills and stuff. But you're not, so it's obviously not your house that you own, otherwise you'd be here all the time and I would see you everyday more than I normally do anyway. And then you'll... Ah... I'm rambling, aren't I?"

Demyx laughed and nodded. "Yeah, you are. Your Mom won't mind, though?" I shook my head. "I suppose she'd be used to me by now. Oh! Are my clothes here?"

Yes, Demyx, they are. Ever since the first sudden sleepover a coupla year back, he always kept a pair of PJs and a change of clothes here. Heh. I wasn't much surprised when he first told me he still wore PJs to bed at night. He just seemed like a PJ person.

I nodded, and Demyx went to tell Mom that he was staying (she had left when our conversation starting to exclude her). I sighed, wondering exactly _why_ I just had to go bonkers over my best friend. It made things kind of complicated. You know, just maybe.

"Hi, Zexion. Are you my welcoming committee today?"

I jumped, shook my head, and suddenly Riku was standing in the door, absolutely soaked. Raising my eyebrows, I leaned over to look out the door, then looked back at my brother. It was a fine, sunny day, just as the fat weather man on TV had said it would be. "What happened to you? Do you have your very own personal raining emo cloud following you?"

Riku rolled his eyes, pushing past me into the lounge. He dumped his jacket on the couch and missed. "Oh, you can talk, 'Mr. Screaming 'Emo! Emo! Emo!' At Me Will Not Make Me Feel Luved'."(2)

I snorted, following after him (first closing the door, of course). "Yeah, because I am _so_ emo, listening to caramelldansen."(3)

Riku laughed, then seemed to sniff the air like he was a dog. Oi! The little bugger. That was _my_ special talent! "Demyx is here," he said matter-of-factly. And, just like any well-rehearsed hollywood movie, Demyx just happened to burst in.

"Hey Zexi, your Mom's awesome! She's baking cookies! You know, the ones with the little marshmallows and bits of crunchie in them? I _love_ those ones! Oh, hey, Riku! Your Mom's awesome! Hey, what happened to you?" Demyx babbled on, stopping when he saw Riku dripping drops of water on the carpet.

Riku made a face. "_Sora_ happened."

Looks of comprehension dawned on our faces. Ah. No other explanation was needed. Most people thought Sora suffered from having ADHD and an addiction to sugar. They would be wrong. Sora didn't _suffer_ from ADHD. He enjoyed every single minute of it.

Mom walked in, her hands caked in some sort of flour and egg mixture. "Hey, Riku, there's some- what happened to _you?_"

Riku made another face. I decided to cover up for him, because that's the kind of nice, caring brother I am. Psht, yeah right. He's gonna owe me a hundred munny for this. "Sora happened. We like to call him 'the place where intelligence goes to die.'"(4) Yeah, see! That's a hundred munny worthy speech, I'm sure.

Mom made an 'Ah' face, then laughed a little. "I'm sure you didn't really need to be that harsh, but I see your point. Anyway, Riku, I suggest you go clean yourself up. And you two, what are you going to do?"

With my life? I dunno, die? For today? Well, I didn't know that, either. Luckily, Demyx saved me from actually having to think of anything to do. Again. In fact, I probably owed _him_ a hundred munny for all the times he's done that. Then again, maybe not. "We'll be fine up in Zexi's room! I haven't heard him play piano in so long! He never plays in music anymore. Why is that? I love listening to you play."

I nodded, turning away to hide my face. Damn you, cheeks! Why haven't those tomatoes sued you yet?! _Because everything hates you,_ said my little voice. Gee, thanks for the moral support, voice. This is why I never listen to you.

"Actually..." Mom looked thoughtful. "Zexi-" argh, that nickname, "-I need you to go over to the dairy and buy me some of those little marshmallows. We seem to have run out. Demyx, can you help me in the kitchen? I'm going to need more than one pair of hands. Munny's on the table, honey. Thank you!"

With barely enough time to grab the aforementioned munny, Mom shoved me out the now open door, grabbed Demyx's arm and slammed the door in my face. Harrumphing, I opened the door, yelled my protest and shut the door again. From inside, I could hear Mom yell, "We love you, too!"

Sighing, I set off down the street, trying not to imagine the possibility of seeing a bum stuck in a manhole. Unfortunately, my ability to not imagine things once thought of is ziltch, so I ended up seeing bums in every manhole I passed. Schizophrenic? Naaaah. But it was the reason I didn't realize I didn't have shoes until I was already halfway there.

_Clap, clap!_ I thought to myself. Then a strange thought occurred to me. I have no shoes. I'm a bum! That made me laughed. I must have looked kind of crazy, walking down the street and laughing for no apparent reason. Mhm, yeah, I'm completely sane. -Insert-impressive-snort-here-

I walked into the shop, saw the person at the counter, turned around and walked straight back out again, trying desperately to keep a straight face. Standing at the counter, looking completely out of place in his shabby clothes, was a bum. No, not the thing you poop out of. A homeless person. A bum, you know? Oh, I am so nice.

Taking a few minutes to get myself together again, I finally got the 'courage', you could call it, to walk back in. Trying my hardest to ignore who did or didn't stand at the counter, I made my way to the back of the store where the little marshmallows made it a habit to frequent themselves.

"It's gone!" I exclaimed.

"What's gone?" Asked a voice behind me.

"It."

"Oh, bad it, come back."

"I have a feeling somebody stole it."

"Oh."(5)

"Hey, who are you, anyway?" I turned around to see who was talking to me. And jumped. Very high. Knocking over something from the shelf on the way. "_Sora?_ What are you doing here? I thought- He said- What?!"

Sora smiled his best Cheshire Cat smile and handed me a bag of little marshmallows. "Oh, nothing, really. Roxas sent me to buy him some lollies, or an ice cream, or something. I think he wanted an ice block... Oh, and he said I could buy me some lollies with the change!" He grinned.

_He_ may have been grinning, but I, however, blanched. "Roxas, sensible, trustworthy _Roxas_ let you buy _lollies_. Doe he have a death wish?! Or has he _finally_ lost it?"

Sora pouted, following me to the counter. "I'm not that bad!" He protested. Actually Sora, you're right. You're not _that bad_, you're worse. "Besides, Roxas wanted one of those sea-salt ice creams, and they cost a lot, so there's not gonna be much change left," he pointed out, grabbing an ice cream and a small ten munny lolly mix.

I snorted, putting the bag of little marshmallows on the counter. "It doesn't matter how much or how little you have, Sora. One pink smoker can set you off. And they're _tiny! Miniscule!_" I said, handing the counter man my munny. The bum still hadn't left yet, I noticed. No, I was not laughing at him inside... Much.

I moved out of the way so that Sora could pay. It took a little while and involved mucho furious counting on fingers, but eventually Sora pulled out the right amount of munny and paid the dude.

Sora grinned happily, opening the bag and putting the first lolly he grabbed into his mouth.

I heard a shuffling noise and I turned to look. The bum was shuffling towards us, and I stifled a laugh, looking closely. This bum was slightly on the short side, with a tattered hood over his head. He approached Sora from the side, tugged on his arm and pointed to his bag. "Lolly?" he said, then pointed to himself.

The brunet took one look at him, almost screamed and ran from the shop, yelling, "Help! Help! I'm being mugged by a bum!" The shopkeeper wasn't very happy about this.

The bum laughed, wiped some of the grime from his face and pulled his hood back. I almost choked on the marshmallow I was eating. "_Roxas?!_ What'd you do that for? You scared him half to death!"

Roxas grinned, leaning down to pick up the ice cream Sora had dropped. "Well, it was funny, wasn't it? I didn't know he could squeal that high!" He opened the packet and stuck the ice cream in his mouth. "Shides, Ri'u ashked me to get back a' him fo' shovin' him in the pond."

I sighed as we both left the shop. "Roxas, you gave the boy _lollies_. Those aforementioned lollies have _sugar_ in them. Do you have a death wish? Or do you just hate us all?" I asked, trying very hard not to think of the havoc Sora could cause just by being there.

Roxas frowned slightly. "He's not _that_ bad..."

Oh, it was that saying again. _'He's not that bad.'_ No, Roxas, he's worse. "Do you pay attention to _anything_ that Sora does?"

He winced. "I try really, really hard not to,"(6) he said, and a small _'Boom!'_ could be heard from far away. He winced again. "I have this really, really bad feeling that Sora's met up with Axel. I should probably go save them," he said thoughtfully.

I gave him what I hoped was my best skeptical look. I reckon it was pretty good. After all, I had majored in skeptical. Or, at least, I planned to . "Save who; Axel and Sora?"

Roxas snorted, already walking away. "Save Axel and Sora? Pfft, they'll be fine. Its everyone else that I'm worried about. They could set fire to the city without a moment's thought and then manage to pass it off as an accident if they really wanted to . Well, see ya, Zexion."

"Bye, Roxas." And good luck with that self-imposed mission of yours. This is one of those times I'd hate to be you. Hell, I'd hate to be anyone within a hundred mile radius of those two. Or three, when Roxas gets there. Good ol' peacekeeper, he is.

On my way back home, I didn't see any bums (and didn't imagine any in manholes, thank god), but I stood on a lot of stones. Which hurt. And I ate about a third of the marshmallows, just to spite Mom. And because I like marshmallows.

I approached the house and everything was silent inside (from the outside, anyway). So, naturally, I was kind of suspicious. Not that I'm paranoid at all, oh, no. I was just afraid something was gonna fly out the door and whack me in the face. Like Vincent and the guy in the jukebox. Heh. That was funny. (7)

Cautiously (and very slowly, might I add), I opened the door a bit. Nothing flew at me, and nothing landed on my head, so I decided to open it a bit further. After I realized that there were no traps in the immediate vicinity, I opened the door wide and walked right in.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor were the three of them, Mom in the middle with Dem and Riku on either side. They all had their eyes shut, didn't move, didn't do anything. This was weirder than anything else they could have been doing. "Guys... What're you doing? You're creeping me out..."

In a very calm, very serious tone of voice, Mom said, "We're meditating." (8)

There was a moment of silence. Then all three of them burst out laughing, rolling around on the ground. I rolled my eyes (but was slightly relieved - there was nothing wrong with them, after all), walked into the kitchen and put the bag of marshmallows on the counter, along with the change.

Once I snuck a few more marshmallows, I walked back into the lounge. Riku had left the room, probably to do 'homework'. Demyx was still laughing and Mom was standing, watching Dem roll around on the floor and laughing at him. I sighed exasperatedly. Why couldn't I have a _normal_ family? I snorted at that. We at the Kael household just don't do _normal_.

Mom helped Demyx up once he had calmed down enough. "Right, you two. Off to your room, Mama's gotta do this next thing on her own. Chop chop!" She shooed us out of the room. Gee, thanks for leaving me alone with the reason my heart goes nut-nut at the sight of blond hair. Yeah, that'll do _wonders_ for my current emotional state. NOT.

Demyx lead the way to my room, trying his hardest not to burst out laughed again. I know that, if he did, it would take a lot of effort to calm him down again. And, quite frankly, I couldn't be stuffed. So, if he suddenly did start laughed, he'd be on his own. Haha, Demyx. Haha.

My bedroom was right at the end of the hallway. It used to be Mom's, but she migrated into the lounge. Probably had something to do with the fact that she was slightly addicted to those late-night soaps on TV. Weirdo.

Demyx burst through the door, relishing in the tidy-ness of it. After all, you could barely see the floor in _his_ room. Then again, it used to be the same case with me, until Mom stomped her foot down. I must say, I like it a hell of a lot better when it's tidy.

The blond instantly made a beeline for the piano that was pushed up against the wall. He motioned me over, probably to ask me to play something. I couldn't resist those eyes; they were like magnets! So much that if I, for some random reason, jumped, I would zoom over to where Demyx stood and whack my head against his. It would be very painful. And shameful. Can't forget shameful.

Sighing, I made my way over to where Demyx stood, sinking down into the piano stool. Damn those tomatoes. Damn them to hell. Why haven't they sued and made my cheeks live on the street as bums?

_Because everything-_ hates me, yes I know. Thank you, voice. It was a rhetorical question and I didn't want an answer. Thus it being rhetorical. Also, I hate you.

"Can you play me _'Red'_? That's my favourite one!" Demyx exclaimed. Funny, how _Red_ was a song that I wrote for him. Not that he knows, of course. I think he'd have something close to a heart-attack if he knew the song was his. Then again, so would I.

So, I played, letting the music take over. It'd been so long since I played last; I was sure I'd forgotten. Obviously not. _Red_ had no words, was purely instrumental. For a while I played for Demyx, and Demyx only, until Riku poked his head in and sat down next to Demyx. I subtly switched from _Red_ to _Black Wings_, Riku's song. Neither of them noticed, thankfully.

I stopped playing at the end of the song before I lapsed into another one. It was nice to finally be playing again, but if I kept going then I would start to ignore the other two and Demyx would not be very happy with me. He would hate me for ever and ever and that would make me very sad.

Demyx smiled. "That was _awesome!_"

Riku nodded, approving. "Definitely was. Why don't you play anymore, Zexion? I'd love to hear you play more often, too." You know why, you retard. "Also, I thought you'd like to know that Saïx is back and Mom's having an emotional breakdown in the lounge."

I nodded, the words flying through one ear and straight out through the other. Then my eyes widened as the words finally registered.

Saïx, my nineteen-year-old brother whom I loved, hated and respected, who had been gone for a month, who always stole my munny then gave it back, was home. He who had left without a word, without a whisper, had just popped up. Just like that! Great timing, man. You just had to come back when my emotional instability was at its worst. Gee, thanks.

I stood up from the piano stool, raced out of my room, through the hallway and burst into the lounge. My blood ran colder than sub-zero frozen coke. I was... slightly screwed.

Let's analyze some new facts here. I was standing in the lounge. OK, great. Mom was lying on the ground, curled up in a ball with her head in her hands. Mhm, okay, not so great. Saïx was standing in the room for the first time in over a month. Wow, just wow. There was a gun aimed at my head by my aforementioned brother.

...Aw, fuck.

--VI-IX--

**End Notes:** Wheee! Teh end of teh first chapter of _Every Bit Of Me_! Was it any good? Hm? There was actually quite a bit of other stuff I had planned for this chapter, but then decided not to go with it. Also, I don't think the next chapters are going to be as long as this one was.

Please don't let me discontinue this one! I had a lot of fun writing this and know that I will definitely be attending the funeral if it dies :'(

**Footnotes: (wow, there's heaps of them)**

(1) I'm sorry, I just had to. Xemnas' band name comes from one of his most dramatic one-word-sentences in the game. It goes something like this: _"If light and darkness are eternal, then we Nothings much be the same. Eternal."_ Hit single was suggested by Zume. It's another of his most dramatic one-word-sentences. It's just _'Indeed'_, though.

(2) This comes from a very memorable Integrated Studies lesson, when I was bored, and I made a sign of it. It's hanging up on my bedroom wall right now.

(3) This was something I thought to myself while I was walking down the street in my skinny jeans and denim jacket. I thought 'you know, someone might just think I'm emo...' and then caramelldansen came on, and I thought 'yeah, coz I'm real emo, listening to caramelldansen'. If you don't know what this song is, then I suggest you get out from underneath that rock you're under and listen to it. If that makes sense.

(4) Quote from Ansem Retorts. I thought it was funny, so I ninja'd off with it.

(5) Conversation between me and Zume-Chan

(6) 'Nother Ansem Retort quote.

(7) The jukebox! The JUKEBOX! So, I was playing Dirge Of Cerberus, a sequel game to FFVII, and I really needed some potions, coz I was dying. The shops there looked like jukeboxes. And so, I just randomly walked up to one AND THIS GUY JUMPED OUT OF IT AND PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE!! I was very put out by this fact. And so was Vincent. So he killed the guy.

(8) T'was a quote Zume-Chan gave me. Tankyuus veri mucho! :P


	2. A Challenger, Or Two, Appears!

**Author Notes:** And... two months, ten days later... SHE UPDATES! WOW! Who's good! ...Not me, I know. But HEY, I FINALLY have Chapter Two of EBOM! Which, I must say, is quite a feat, really. Anyway.

From now, these chapters are going to be around 2000 words, which is a lot shorter than the first chapter of this. But it'll help me to update quicker. Which I'll try to do at least once every week, so as not to take three years to finish this :D

**Summary:** Meet Zexion Kael, 16, high schooler, pianist, and totally in love with his best friend, Demyx Intre. Problem? Demyx is head over heels over head for Naminé Foot. Another problem? Well, Nocturne, Demyx's band, tours the world in a few months. Jealous much?

**Dedication:** Well, as stated in the first chapter, this story is for mah Zu-Chan, who's marrying RHAS (aka Win) in October. Happy engagement! ...Or whatever you're supposed to say :P

**A Note:** I listened to three songs all while writing this! They are Thetawaves, Roulette and Streamline, all by System Of A Down. So, if you have these songs, I'd recommend listening to them.

**Disclaimer:** Ooh! Ooh! Guess what?!

...I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

**x-A Challenger (Or Two) Appears!-x**

Ok, let's review, shall we? My darling brother, Saïx, who has been gone for well over a month, has come back. It looks like Mom has had an emotional breakdown of some sort and is salivating all over the carpet (and I'd just hoovered, too!). And now I'm standing in the lounge with a less-than-happy Saïx holding a gun to me.

Oh, dandy... this could get a bit awkward.

Demyx and Riku ran into the room, gasping as they realized my dilemma. There was a brief pause of confused silence, then Riku exclaimed, "Saïx! What're you doing?!"

Saïx growled, his eyes red and fevered, a crazy tinge to them. Any old bugger could see he'd gone completely mental. But it took someone from the Kael family - or an insider like Demyx _(thump thump thump)_ - to realize he had entered a phase we liked to call 'Beserker'. It was a hereditary disease and pretty much meant that whatever - or whoever - was within a fifty meter radius pretty much blew up. And dear ol' Saïx had it_ bad._

Demyx whimpered slightly. I looked back - mistake. He was clutching onto Riku's arm, burying his face into the material of his top. Riku was absently rubbing circles in his back, concentrating instead on Saïx's face. My heart went _thump thump thump_ at the sight of it. I had to stop myself from 'squee'ing at the sight of it. He just looked so... cute!

"Uhm... Hey Saïx," I braved, shuffling around slightly. "It's nice to see you, too. Good to know that you love us enough to drop in every month or so," I said, raising my arms slowly. "Now, just put down the gun, and I won't have to open a can of whup-ass on your butt." Psht, like I could, anyway. The chances of me damaging something other than myself were about - oh, I dunno - twenty million billion to one?

My darling of a blue-haired brother snarled. "Don't move, you! Just shut up! Shut up!" He almost screamed at me. A look of intense concentration passed his face, and he cocked the gun, and fired.

I don't know what I expected. I guess I thought that the bullet would tear through my head and blow out my brains (mm, Cherry flavored!). Or maybe it would rip through my chest and take my heart out. Or maybe, by some chance of fate, it would zoom past me and into Riku behind. Or maybe, as hard as I tried not to think about it, it would go the other way and shoot straight through my reason to live, officially snuffing it out.

The bullet did neither of these. Instead, it ricocheted of to the side, shattering the doors of Mom's wine-glass cupboard - as well as everything inside. Mom would be devastated. But I'd much rather the wine glasses than any living thing in the room. Sorry, Mom. Maybe you could get some more later. Y'know, when there's no psychopathic murderer skulking in our lounge.

Demyx let out a squeak of fear. The bullet had missed him by half a meter, seeing as that cupboard had been right over his head. End effect: both him and Riku got sprinkled with shards of glass. Pretty, but also like standing out when whoever-the-hell's-up-there has decided to spew knives at you.

"Okay. I get it. You're a little less than happy at the moment. That's alright. We've all got to let our anger out somehow. But that doesn't mean that you've got to go and try blow everyone's brains out," I commented, surprised by my own bravery. Or maybe it was stupidity. Eh, what's the difference?

My silver-haired brother stepped forward, presumably to come and help me out of my predicament. _Unfortunately,_ Saïx had a major freak-out, seeing enemies in both of us. So he decided to do something about this problem. He fired two shots. One followed the first's example, slamming straight into the wine-glass cupboard (poor cupboard; it would need therapy if it survived this predicament!). The second, however...

Riku screamed, his eyes wide and round. It took me a little while to figure out that his scream wasn't one of pain, but of panic and horror and all that jazz. It took me a little longer to realize that my leg was bleeding all over the carpet. Well, that made me feel stoopid. I mean, honestly! Who doesn't notice when their darling brother's just gone and shot them in the leg!

"Bugger," I said, crumpling to the floor as the pain finally registered. "I mean, seriously, what the hell, Saïx?!" My hands grabbed the first they could find and threw it at him, which happened to be a mug with a cat painted on it that had been sitting under the couch for about two weeks now (still half-ful of what _used_ to be a hot-chocolate). Shudder.

Amazingly, the mug hit him on the head (HAH! Eat mouldy hot-chocolate, foul he-demon!), glancing off and falling to the floor. Saïx growled, but was otherwise unsure of what to do. Kind of funny, really. He always managed to look so much smaller and childish in Beserker mode. Albeit a small child with a loaded and lethal handgun.

Saïx raised the gun, presumably to fire again, when all of a sudden his legs buckled and he fell to the ground. Standing above him, now holding my baseball bat (I use it for warding off burglars, if you were wondering) and looking extremely dangerous (but also really cool), was Mom. She raised the bat and whacked him one of the head. Yeah! Go Mom!

"How-" Whack "Dare-" Whack "You-" Whack "Shoot-" Whack "My" Whack "Zexi-kins!" She roared, looking for all the world like the avenging angel. A very scary, malicious, mother-hen-like avenging angel, but an avenging angel all the same. All the more importantly, she was_ my _avenging angel.

Saïx coughed, his eyes losing the red tint and going back to the normal, sane yellow we all knew and loved. "Mom, what the hell? What's going on?" He asked, dazed and disorientated. Oh, yeah. That was the thing with being Beserker. While you're powerful and all-mighty and all that crap, you remember jack-shit afterwards. Which doesn't really help when you're being charged with manslaughter and all you can say is "What the hell are you on about, you crazy lunatic? I did nuffin!"

Mom's eyes watered. She dropped the bat, fell down next to him, gave Saïx a big hug and then slapped him. Riku and Demyx, however, raced to my side, Demyx babbling very unsuccessfully into his phone. Riku sighed, taking it off him and speaking to what I assumed was the ambulance. He was done in a second, flipping the phone shut and tossing it over to Demyx, who managed to drop it.

"Don't worry, Zex, we've got an ambulance on the way. I'm not gonna lie to you and say that from here-on out, everything's gonna be hunky-dory, coz it's not, but it will be soon," Riku informed me. Then he rethought that last comment and said, "Maybe."

I laughed. Then cringed. Laughing made me move. Moving meant pain. Pain was not good, because it hurt. And no matter what anyone (or, really, pretty much everyone) said, I was not emo and didn't 'live for the pain' and all that shit. I mean, seriously! What emo listens to caramelldansen and songs about shooting zombies in the head? Well, that last one I could understand... But not if it was by a 'band' called Songs To Wear Pants To!

My attention, for some strange, odd reason (snickerlol), was attracted towards Demyx, who seemed to be trying to say something and failing quite miserably. I almost laughed, but reminded myself not to just in time. "Breathe, Demyx. Stay calm. Take three deep breaths, think about what you are going to say, then open your mouth and say it."

He grumbled, turning red, but closing his mouth all the same. He breathed in three times, thought about what he was going to say, opened his mouth and-

_Blaaaaargh._

He spewed up, just missing Riku. Barely.

Now, I'm not one that's too squeamish. I can take blood and frog's guts and cows' eyes and all that stuff you do in science quite easily. I can watch a movie in which everything in sight gets blown up in the most gruesome ways imaginable, but I just_ can't_ take it when people decide to throw up.

So it was about then that I decided that fainting sounded like a good idea.

--VI-IX--

"Dem, hun, you should probably go now. He'll be fine."

"But I- Oh, alright, Mrs Kae- I mean, ah, Katie..."

I cracked my right eye open a bit and was met by a frickin' bright light. Okay, for one, who the hell puts bright lights right where people's eyes are?! And for two, that bloody stings! Shutting that eye, I opened my left. Thankfully, there were no bright lights. There was, however, a leaving Demyx.

"Nuuu, mah Deeemmyy, come baack..." I giggled, waving my arms around. Woah. I'm sure I don't normally sound that stupid... or drugged up. Must be some sort of painkiller (coughcoughDRUGcough) that they hooked me on. Ha ha. That makes me sound like a druggie.

Despite the fact that I sounded like a bum on drugs (that almost rhymes!), or maybe because of it, Demyx was instantly back where he belonged - right by my side. And damnit, he wasn't going to be leaving any time soon if I had anything to say about it. Or, at least, he wasn't leaving until visiting hours were over.

"Zexion!" Demyx exclaimed. My full name sounded weird on his lips, seeing as he hardly ever said it anymore. Weird. "You sound funny, all drugged up on anesthetic."

I laughed, and I noticed there was no pain. Woohoo! No more damn bullet in my leg! Take that, bastard brother of mine! Speaking of Saïx, I wonder where he is... Hopefully in court getting sued for trauma. Or charged for attempted murder. Or something like that.

"'S not maaaah fault... Heh heh," I replied. For some odd, random reason, I raised my hand, presumably to grab something. But then I managed to miss entirely and get my hand stuck in Demyx's love child of a mullet and a mohawk. A mo'hullet, he liked to call it. "Maaaah," I complained. "Mah hand's stuck in yer luvchild, Demmy! Get it oooffff meh!"

Mom took a place to the other side of Demyx, laughing and trying to untangle my hand. I growled. "Nuuu! Not mah mammeh. I want Demmy! Because Demmy is luuurve," I giggled. I probably should've stopped talking a while ago, but hey, my mind does funny things when drugged up on anesthetic.

A look of concentration passed mah Demmy's face as he tried untangling my hand from his hair. He must've not brushed it this morning, because it took one hell of a long time to get it out. Oh, well. More hand-fondling for me! ...Ew. That makes me sound like some creepy pedophile.

I noticed something. "Mammeh, where's 'Kuuu? He still owes me a hunnat munneh..."

"I'm right here," he said as he walked in through the door, throwing Mom a can of coke, Demyx a 7-up and opening a Mountain Dew for himself. "And what's all this about owing you a 'hunnat munneh', as you say? Last time I checked, you owed _me _munny for-"

"Bsht!" I yelled, interfering in what he was about to say.

"...What did you say?"

"Bsht. But never mind that. Gimmeh tha Dew!"

Riku laughed, plomping himself down on one of the seats. "No can do, Mr. I Got Shot By Saïx And Lived To Tell The Tale. Doctor said you couldn't eat or drink anything for at least another six hours. So, tough luck, buddy." Grr, you self-righteous bastard. I'll get you next time. I'll get you...

Demyx looked at me apologetically. Aww, don't do that! You make my resident porcupines hate me! "Sorry, Zexi."

"Oh, yeah," started Riku, shuffling around in his bag for something. He pulled something brown and furry and threw it at me. "Saïx wanted to give it to you himself, but he didn't think the doctors would approve of having a psychotic would-be mass-murderer in the hospital."

I picked up the brown mass on my lap and flipped it over so it faced me. "MR. MUFFINS!" I squealed, making more than one person want to block their ears, I'm sure.

"Knock, knock!" Came the voice of a certain red-haired female that I happened to know quite well standing outside of the door. Kairi walked in, dragging along behind her a particular red-haired pyromanic that also happened to be about three feet taller than she was. "Hey, Zexion. We came to see how you were doing and whether you'd woken up yet."

I sniffed. A faint smell of lavenders and violets and other 'nice'-smelling flowers reached my nose. If I wasn't mistaken, then...

"Hello, Zexion."

Naminé Foot, my arch-arch-arch-nemesis, had just entered the room.

--IX-VI--

**End Notes:** Well, there's mah chappie two for EBOM. It's a bit weird, and one helluva lot shorta than the last, but hey, it's a chapter, and I already know what's going to happen in chapter three, so that's good, is it not?

Haha, Zexion's funny when he's on anesthetic. Writing from personal experience there, tho.

And, as most people end chapters with, I'll do the same with this:

Review please, if you have the time, that is :)


	3. Smooth Is What We Aim For

**Author Notes:** It's chapter three of EBOM! And not two months after the last chapter was posted! WOW!

Just a bit of a warning, though; this chapter is crap-ta-fucking-tastic. Well, you might not think it is, but I know I sure as hell do! And another warning: don't drink that crap that says it's Irish creme coffee by Roberts. It tastes funny TTTT

**Listened To:**

Pictures Of You - The Last Goodnight

Stay Beautiful - (Also) The Last Goodnight

Two bloody fantastic songs. Listen to them. I command you!

**Ded:** I'mma gettin' a bit tired of writing this, seeing as you should all by now know that it's for mah Zu-Chan while I can still call her mine. I mean, I can't even really do that now, but to hell with it! I stole a bit of ya and yuu ain't never gettin' it back, betch! :)

Sorry about swearing so much. I feel blargh. I can try clean it up, though!

**Disclaimer:** For funk's sake, I don't funking own Kingdom funking Hearts. So don't funking sue me, all you funking prinks out there. I can see you! I know you think I can't see you, but I can see you. You're like a big funking sign post in a funking desert that points to the funking ground and says 'Sand'.

Hah, little tribute to Shaun of the Dead (which I finally got around to watching) and their pitiful attempt at trying to clean it up a bit. :) I don't normally put the F word in between every second other word, but hey. It's my lame attempt at being funny. Now, on with the story!

Ow, my eye.

**-x-Smooth Is What We Aim For-x-**

"Hello Zexion."

_Grumble grumble betch betch shoot her brains out- Oooh, Demmy Demmy Demmy Mr Muffins Demmy is luuurve hehe I want Mountain Dew Demmy get me Mountain Dew Demmy Demmy Demmy Hehe I luuuurve you Demmy 'Ku has mountain dew gimme gimme Mr Muffins wants some too Hehe Demmy Demmy Demmy--_

For the sake of the reader's sanity, the rest of this chapter will be written in third person. God knows what goes on in a drugged up Zexi's mind. In fact, he probably doesn't know either, and I don't think he'd want to any time soon.

_Let's try this again!_

--IX-VI--

"Hello Zexion."

Zexion growled. "Na- Nana- Namana- Nama- Mana-" He gave up. "Manamana."

"Do doo do do do," Demyx sung along.

Zexion cracked into a huge smile. "Manamana."

"Do do do... Oh shit," Demyx groaned, feeling the sudden urge to bury his head underneath Zexion's blanket. Luckily for him (and Zexion), he managed to press that urge down and smile brightly at the trio. "Hey, guys. You may wanna be careful of Zexion, he's a little out of it."

Zexion giggled, hugging Mr. Muffins. "Am nooooot... The doctors drugged me up!" Then he spontaneously threw Mr. Muffins across the room, wincing as he bounced across the linoleum floor. "Nyaah, Mr. Muffins, come baaaack... Demmy, go get Mr. Muffins."

Demyx sighed, standing up. "Don't worry, Dem," said Axel. "I got it."

The slate-haired boy hissed. "No! Not Axel! Demmy. Demmy get it."

Kairi raised an eyebrow. "What happened to Zexion? I mean, apart from the whole getting shot by his crazy psycho brother business."

Demyx handed the bear to Zexion, who immediately threw it across the room and sent Demyx after him again. "He's doped up on some sort of anesthetic, or summat. I think it's morphine," he explained.

Naminé laughed. "I guess that's why he's giggling like a schoolgirl... Normal, not-drugged Zexi probably wouldn't ever laugh like that, if at all, really." She caught Zexion's glare and laughed again. "I'm only kidding, Zexion, you know that."

Zexion grumbled something that sounded a duck strangling but turned out to be something about Naminé dying a horrible, painful death. He was a nasty little bugger whilst drugged up. Well, he was a nasty little bugger anyway, but at least he normally chose to be subtle about it. Now... Not so much.

"Au contraire, my fair-headed friend," Axel commented, receiving a face-full of brown 'fur' and a glare.

Riku, being the kind, caring brother he was, decided to turn the subject away from Zexion and whether or not he was capable of laughing while not on drugs. "So, what're you guys doing here?"

Axel had the audacity to look offended. "What, can't a guy come visit his friend nowadays?"

"Not when that guy is you," mumbled Riku.

Zexion turned to Demyx. "Demmy, do you like Llaaamaaas?"

Demyx nodded absently, not really paying any attention to Zexion. Instead, he was staring at Naminé, but trying to be subtle about it. And utterly, miserably failing, Now, Zexion wasn't going to have any of that. After all, he wasn't about to lose the love of his life to some blonde bimbo!

"Do you know the llama song?"

_That_ caught his attention. "Llama song? I know the llama song."

It was about now that Katie decided to pipe up. "Well, guys, I'm going for lunch. Who's with me?" Silence. "This is the part where you all clamour to my side for fear of being exposed to an hour straight of the llama song."

Choruses of "I'm coming!" swept through the room as Axel, Kairi and Naminé raced to Zexion's Mom's side. Riku tried to stand up but Katie wagged her finger at him. "Sorry, Riku, but someone's got to stay here and make sure that they don't blow the room up, or anything. Well, bye now!"

Katie and her entourage left the room just as Demyx and Zexion started to sing the first few lines of 'The Llama Song'. Riku hunkered down in his chair and wished fervently for them to hurry the hell up and get back before he went crazy. Just to be sure that he didn't, he put his hands over his ears and tried his hardest to get to sleep.

It's safe to say that he failed in the 'sleep' department.

--VI-IX--

Two hours, thirteen minutes and twenty-seven seconds later, Katie and co. returned to find Demyx hanging upside down off two chairs and Zexion sitting on his legs. It seemed that they had taken to singing the Llama song again, something Axel noticed with a grin.

"They started singing _that_ again?"

Riku stared at him from the corner of the room. He had abandoned his chair and was now rocking backwards and forwards on the ground, holding his head with his eyes wide open. _"They never... stopped..." _Kairi sighed, going over and helping Riku up, giving him a quick hug before leading him back to the group. Axel laughed, preferring to sit there and watch them sing, occasionally joining along. Katie just walked straight back out of the room. It was Naminé that eventually decided to go and break them up, not that she had to do much.

As soon as Demyx saw that Naminé was back, he yelped, sliding out from underneath Zexion's butt and hitting his head on the ground. Once Zexion noticed the lack-of-Demyx-ness and the Naminé standing not two feet away from them, he growled, baring his teeth at her. If she didn't know better, she'd've reckoned he was a dog.

"There we go. Problem solved!" She proclaimed, helping Demyx up off the ground, whilst carefully avoiding a very doglike Zexion. Something about that slightly mad glint in his eyes made her think it was a very bad idea to get close enough for Zexion to be able to something to her, like stab her, or something. And it probably was.

"Geez, Zexi, don't get your knickers in a twist," Axel commented, earning another faceful of 'fur' and a punch in the guts from Kairi. "What was that for?!" He exclaimed, holding his tummy and feeling like the whole world had turned against him. Which, in his mind, it had.

"Don't be mean, Axel," Kairi scolded. "One day, he'll come 'round and kick you in the ass. And when he does, just remember; you deserved it." Ah, sisters. Don't ya just love 'em? They're your voice of reason when ya can't be stuffed thinking for yourself. They're also there to give you a good kick in the balls when they think you need it. Yep. One of God's greatest inventions, right beside women and chocolate.

Axel grumbled, inching away from his abusive sister. Oh, he'd get her back for that, to be sure. She'd be looking over her shoulder for months.

"Demyx, get you and yur funking luvchild back here," Zexion growled, sounding more and more protective every passing second. Not exactly the best way to win the heart of your also male best friend, but hey. Whatever made him happy...

It did not, however, make him happy when Demyx refused to move, opting instead to sit next to Naminé and Axel. Poor Zexion. No Demmy-luv for him. He realized this and hunkered down, sniffing like a kicked puppy.

"Aw," Kairi fussed, "Zexi looks so _sad!_ Wassa matter, Zexi-boy? Wassa matter?"

"I'm not a dog, Kai," 'Zexi-boy' mumbled, heaving himself back up on the bed. He then proceeded to hide underneath the blankets and ignore the world in general.

Katie sighed. "And... initiate emo-Zexi mode," she muttered, then turned to the rest of them. "Well, thanks for visiting, but I don't think that Zexion's going to be much company any more. So, unless you want to stare at a non-respnosive heap for the next coupla hours, you should probably go. In fact, Demyx, I'm commanding you to leave. You've been here all day and I'm sure your Mom must be missing you by now. Riku, go home and do the dishes. Ax, Kai, Nams, scat. Just... scat."

The room was in silence for a few seconds, no one knowing if she was serious or not.

Katie narrowed her eyes. "I said _scat_."

It was as if the whole room squeaked and in ten seconds flat, the room was empty except for Katie and Zexion himself.

Katie sat at the edge of Zexion's bed. "Zexi, hun, what's wrong?"

There was silence.

"Zexion, I know you're there and I command you to answer me."

"Nothing's wrong," eventually came the muffled reply from underneath the heap of blankets.

"Sure, sure, that's why you've been acting like a mouse on steroids all day," Katie commented. "I'm a mother, Zexion, I know what goes on in the minds of young, excitable teenagers, so don't even try to pretend nothing's wrong." There was silence. "Does this have something to do with a girl?"

"No!"

"Boy?"

"No..."

"_Zexion..."_

Meep. "Yes, mother."

Katie sighed, but a grin could almost be seen on her face. "Is it Demyx?"

Judging by the enormous twitch that came from the bundle of blankets, Katie guessed she was right. All she could really think of was _'Finally, a gay son!'_, but she was still suspecting of Riku. "Oh, Zexi. You're probably slightly confused, but don't worry. Everything will turn out to be OK in the end. Like in Disney Fairytales. Only, a lot gayer. In both senses of the word."

Zexion's head popped(1) out of the blankets. His eyes were slightly red, as if he was trying very hard not to cry. "Mom, don't talk to me about these things when I'm drugged up and tend not to think more than a sentence ahead of where I already am. It makes me say things I either don't want to, or don't mean to."

Katie sighed, letting it go. "Alright, Zexi. But remember; I'm a mother, so I know all. And anything I don't know, I'll soon find out. And, I know it sounds tacky and clichéd, but I'm here for you, alright?"

The slate-haired boy nodded.

"Get some sleep, Zexi. I know it's only three, but it looks like you need it," Katie said, mussing Zexion's hair. Zexion opened his mouth to protest, but Katie glared at him. "_Sleep_," she commanded.

Nodding fervently, he snuggled back under the covers and tried to fall asleep. In all honesty, he didn't think he'd be able to, what with thoughts of Demyx, Naminé, Saïx, and school running around his head. Not to mention Sora, and Demyx, and Riku, and Demyx, and Mom, and Demyx, and Roxas, and Demyx...

--IX-VI--

**End Notes:** Well, what'd you think about Chapter Three? Was it as craptastic as I reckon it was? I haven't even read through it. But it's almost ten at night (for me) and Zu knows that I'm an hour past my normal bed time, which has, like, died. And I've got school tomorrow! Whoop.

**Footnotes:**

(1) - (Wow, only one!) While typing this, I accidentally wrote 'Zexion head pooped out of the blanket'. Well, that would've been interesting... to say the least.

Lastly;

Review, dammit. Totally not updating 'til I get at least four. Cookie for those that review. :)


	4. Panic! At The Cafeteria

**Author Notes:** It's Chapter Four! I'm sorry! I know it's been a month, but at least it hasn't been two... or three... or ELEVEN! I just haven't really felt that up to writing lately... But here I am, ready and kicking with chapter four of EBOM!

Just a little fact for you; I've used a different font for each of these chapters. The first was written in euroference (downloadable at ), second was in Skia, third in Trebuchet and now this one is in Helvectica. It's awesome... :)

**Listened To:** To many separate songs to list, but bands were: Breaking Benjamin, Rammstein, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Three Days Grace and Placebo. Personally, I'd recommend listening to _Post Blue_ by Placebo, _Diary of Jane_ by Breaking Benjamin and _Gone Forever_ by Three Days Grace, even while not reading this. They're three damn good songs. And _Damn Regret_ by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Yup, yup.

**Ded:** I suggest you go back and read the first three chapters, if you haven't got the point by now. This is the last time I'm putting this up here.

**Disclaimer:** The day Kingdom Hearts is mine is the day the world ends. But, sadly, the day the world ends is not the day Kingdom Hearts is mine TT-TT

Also, just thought I'd let you know. I don't hate Nams. Really, I don't. But Zexi does :)

Also also, we're back in Zexion's head. I don't like writing outside it, coz a lot of the humour comes from what he's thinking :P

**X-x-Panic! At The Cafeteria-x-X**

It was a week and two days before I was discharged from the hospital. Half of that week and two days was spent drugged out of my mind, the other half trying to remember what the hell happened in the first half. Seemed that all that morphine (or whatever the hell it was) made me forget what happened. Which wasn't very good. For all I knew, I might've confessed my undying love for Demyx! And that would've been bad. Very, very bad.

Anyway, I was taken home on Tuesday, sometime around lunch, thus the reason there was no Demyx. Mom made it clear that he wasn't to stay during school and become truant, or she'd kick his ass from here to Timbuktu. Which, according to the dictionary, was some sort of trade center. Huh. Funny that.

"Zexion! Did you hear what I just said?"

I jumped. "Huh, what?"

Mom sighed. "Zexion, I asked you if you wanted to go to school today. I mean, I know it's almost lunch, but you can take it! You've missed a week of school; that can't've been very good for your education. I mean, I know Demyx has been bringing over notes and stuff, but it's just not enough! I mean-"

"Yes, Mom, I'll go to school today," I cut her off. The way she said it made me sound like some truant whore that ditches school to go get stoned with the woodland fairies at The Firecats gay strip club, or something. Geez, Mom, you know I'm better than that! Much better! In fact, I'm a truant whore that ditches school to go get stoned with the woodland fairies _**behind the tractor shed**_ at The Firecats gay strip club. Nothing similar about the two! Nope, none at all! Ahuh, I'm completely, totally, absolutely... Failing.

Mom shut herself up, making a face as though she could hear my thoughts. Well, she'd better not be able to! Who knows what the hell goes on in there - apart from me, that is. And even I'm not too sure what I'm thinking half the time. And don't worry mom, I was kidding about the whole being a truant whore that ditches school to go get stoned with the woodland fairies business. Just a little joke I like to think of as funny...

"Shall I text Dem-Dem and tell him you're coming to school today?" Mom asked innocently. Psht, I can see right through you and your scheming mind, woman! You could put Axel to shame. Then again... perhaps not.

I played it cool, taking a little time to "think it through" and then shook my head. "Naaaah... It can be our little surprise, mother-dearest. In other words... _Don't you fucking dare._"

Mom laughed. "Alright, _Zexi-dearest_, no need to get all... swear-y and stereotypical teenager on me."

Ah, mothers. The light at the end of the horrendously long and slimy tunnel that we all know is an approaching train just grinning at the thought of being able to run you down and splatter your guts all over the dark and slimy walls. And then have the ability to laugh at you afterwards, take you home, clean you up, and _still_ not have you hate them. _Damnit._ I really wanted a reason to be able to hit her in the head with that metal baseball bat... Kidding, Mom! Kidding!

Judging by her lack-of-throwing-a-no-longer-injured-Zexion-out-of-moving-car reaction, I'm guessing that she can't actually read my mind. Not that it'd matter too much, we were pretty close to the school, anyway. I mean, sure, it'd hurt a lot... But I haven't seen Demmy in over sixteen hours! The hospital visiting hours end at six. So I'm in a bit of a Demmy-withdrawel at the moment. But shh, don't tell anyone!

We pulled up by the school. Well, 'pulled up' is a bit of a, er, misnomer. See, Mom's a bit of a crazy driver. So she decided make an entrance with a Bang! So she, uhm, started careering down the street and knocked over multiple orange cones while doing so. And then, well, I'm not too good at describing the things that cars do, but somehow we managed to be semi-flying through the air and the next thing I knew, I was doing roly-polies on the ground, the car some ten meters away from me and the passenger door hanging open. Mom's head popped(1) out of the car and she threw a bag at me, wished me good luck, blew me a kiss, shut the door and drove off. What a loving, caring, supportive Mom. Chyah, totally.

Grumbling slightly, I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder, casually making my way towards the English block which, if I was right, had pretty much just started. I heard a cough and there was dear ol' Cloud, leaning against a wall and staring at me. Which was really kind of creepy. But then, he _was_ the principal! Oh, yes. Cloud Strife, Roxas' dear, straight-as-a-metal-ruler brother happened to be principal of Twilight Town High School. Don't know why he does it, though. If I were him, the moment I got out of school, I'd've heading somewhere else, like... Hollow Bastian... Or Atlantica. I've always wanted to go to Atlantica. Demyx says there's mer-people.

He coughed again. Getting the point, I hurried along like the good little boy I am to my class. Hopefully he wouldn't sue Mom for breaking and entering, or something. But then again, if he did, he could sue those damn tomatoes while he was at it. Then they'd have no choice to go and live like bums! Yay! Or was it the tomatoes that were meant to do the suing... Oh, my god, I'm confused.

My footsteps echoed off the walls as I walked down the corridor. It was kind of creepy, really, with no kids high on Marijuana screaming down the hall, with all the hungover kids screaming at _them_ for making too much noise. And then we can't forget those just plain hyper and crazy people cartwheeling through the cliques of 'populars', 'goths' and 'emos'. And just in case you were wondering, yes I have been requested to become a member. Several times, in fact. But I politely refused them. Each time. With a fist to the face. Normally ending up with me sprawled across the floor. Not much fun, really.

I suppose I should have been feeling some amount of dread as I approached the door of my English classroom. Surprisingly, I didn't. I suppose the fact that Dem's not in my English class might have helped. But then, Naminé was in there... Along with Marly, Riku, Sora, Hayner and Roxas... Oh _whoop._ Well, at least there was no Axel to set normally non-combustible things on fire.

Coughing, I pushed the door open and instantly felt about twenty pairs of eyes focused solely on me. Like being on stage, with everyone watching you, just waiting for you to make a mistake and fall flat on your face... And I wasn't too sure what to do.

"Zexi!" Marly squealed, jumped out of his seat, rushed over to where I stood and gave me a big hug. "_Demy's missed you_," he whispered into my ear. Then he stood back and said aloud, "How _are_ you?! It feels like an age since I last saw you! Metaphorically, of course. And I just _know_ that everyone here's missed your energy and enthusiasm so _much!_ Oh, wait," he laughed. "My bad, that's me. Well, they missed having someone to copy notes from!"

There was a cough from the front of the class. We both turned to see Mr. Xehanort, _The_ English Teacher (complete with Capital Letters), standing by the blackboard, arms crossed, tapping his foot on the ground. "When you two are _quite_ finished, would you please return to your seats so I may resume the lesson?" Neither of us moved. "Marluxia, _**sit down.**_ Zexion, welcome back and sit the fricken heck down."

Marluxia sighed dramatically, sitting down in his seat next to the window and some random named Bill. My seat was next to Riku who, I noticed, had stuck an earphone down the sleeve of his jacket and was listening to it. "Oi, Riku," I whispered once Mr. Xehanort's back was turned. "Whatcha listening to?"

Riku grumbled. "Slipknot. Now leave me alone; I'm trying to 'concentrate'." Ah, my brother. Emo as ever. I snorted, watching him write something down as Mr. Xehanort glared over at us. No doubt he thought it was _me_ doing all the talking. Which was totally not true! I only did half of it! But then, Mr. Xehanort was like that. Unfair little bastard. But wait, I can do one better: Unfair little _pedophilic _bastard! (2)

The rest of the lesson passed by in a considerable amount of peace. Mainly it was Mr. Xehanort ranting on and on about things that I mainly already knew, then him setting homework, then us trying to flatten him as we raced out the door for interval. "Yay food!" cried The Horde as they rushed to the cafeteria in pursuit of food. Honestly, I never understood what was so good about food. Obviously Apple Juice is much better!

"Zex, you coming?" Asked Marluxia, a curious expression on his face. "Or were you planning on just staying there and collecting dust like a puppy dying a horrible, painful death?"

I shook my head, picked up my bag and followed after them. Not much else to do, really, unless getting burned out by Mr. Xehanort was high on your list of priorities. And, trust me on this, it definitely wasn't on mine. Came close enough once, not going anywhere near again any time soon.

"Well, oh dear brother of mine," Riku began, slinging an arm over my shoulder. "How does it feel to finally be free from that white prison of a hospital? Is there anything in your near future that you can see? _What _will you do if you meet Saïx again? But, more importantly, who-"

"What's with the 20-questions? You writing my biography, or something? Well, I'm sorry to say, but they've made some sort of law against wannabe-emos writing famous peoples biographies. Sorry, Riku," I cut him off, sliding out from underneath his arm and replacing me with Sora. "Here's another candidate for you, Riku. Now go off and make out in the closet, or something."

I laughed, watching as Sora went bright red and spluttered, speechless for once in his life. Hah! I should do that more often. The peace is great. Plus, I get to watch as Riku flounders trying to think of something smart to do. Oh, he thinks that I don't know about his 'little crush'. Sorry, bro, but I'm family. I'm a Kael! And, well, you know those Kaels. Too damn nosy for their own good. Insert-Impressive-Snort-Here.

In no time at all, it seemed, we were already getting lost in the crowds of people in the cafeteria. Somewhere along the way to our much-loved table we acquired Axel the Pedo-Leech who, to Roxas' great annoyance, attached himself to his arm. No change there, then. Sorry, Roxy, but the only way to get him to go would be to kill him, or something. And even then he'd probably still haunt you! Haha, Roxy. Looks like you're stuck forever.

One moment I was happily walking along, completely vertical, blissfully unaware that in the next moment, I'd be on the ground, completely not-vertical and with a very slightly heavy Demyx-thing on top of me, probably trying to hug me to death, or something. Because that is what happened. As we neared our table, Demyx's eyes met mine and he squealed, practically _flying_ across the room and tackle glomping me, ending up with both of us on the ground. If I wasn't mistaken, then I'd think that dear ol' Dem-Dem was in love with me, too. But, because I'm not that egotistical and stupid, I managed to convince myself he wasn't. He was in love with _Naminé,_ damnit. The bitch. Lawl.

"_Zexi!_" He squealed. "Katie said you wouldn't be getting out until Friday! Oh, Zexi, I missed you!"

Roxas laughed, swinging past us (along with Pedo-Leech) to dump himself down on his seat (Or, well, he _tried_. Course, Pedo-Leech got there before him, resulting in Axel becoming his new seat). "C'mon, guys," he started, whacking Axel on the head 'for no reason'. "No man-love until Music, at least. And _no_, you cannot have any 'Roxy Booty' today, Axel," he added as Axel tried to grope his butt. He failed, of course. When Roxas says no, he means _no_.

A mocking laugh rang out across the Cafeteria. Of course, you get a lot of mocking laughs in this place, what with half the student population residing inside it most times, but _that_ laugh... Well, needless to say, we'd heard a lot of _that_ laugh in our years at Twilight High. _That_ laugh belonged to none other that the most hated, despicable, horriblest of all horrible peeps: Hayner Pyne. Of course, wherever Hayner Pyne went, his entourage of Ollete Joan and Pence Mikiri went with him. Not that Olette and Pence were bad people. No, Hayner was the rotten egg in this batch.

"Look who's back! Mr. McEmo-Pants and his gay lover!" Hayner laughed, causing Demmy to jump up in embarrassment, his whole face turning a bright shade of red. Aww, how cute! Wait- Zexion, stop thinking these things and get back in the game! Now's definitely not the time to start drooling over a completely, absolutely straight Demmy! But, the plus side of it all was that it obviously wasn't only me that wanted those damn tomatoes to hurry up and sue.

Roxas glared at him, detaching himself from Pedo-Leech to stand authoritatively. "Lay off, Pyne. Just because _you're_ an It-Reject with no friends except two mindless idiots that grovel at your feet like dogs. Don't you have anything better to do, or do you get a boner from attacking us with your useless insults?" He spat, hate _rolling_ off him in waves. Big, humungous tidal waves of doom they may have been, but they were still waves nonetheless.

Olette frowned, looking maybe even slightly pretty, had I been one to go for total bitches with no loyalty. "We are not mindless idiots, Roxas. You know that. Or, well, you_ did_, anyway. What happened to us? That bitch-" cue glare at Naminé "-mind washed you! Roxas, come back to us..."

This might need a little explaining. You see, at one point, Roxas, Hayner, Pence and Olette had been the bestest buddies there could ever be in the history of all bestest buddies. And then Axel came along, and something inside Roxas' heart just _clung_ to him (even though he'd never admit it). Eventually, Roxas started hanging out with Axel more than his other buddies, and his other buddies, well, they got pretty pissed. So they gave lil ol' Roxy a choice: Them, or the creepy newbie that he barely knew. Well, the choice he made was pretty obvious. And then he came and hung out with us, and 'They' have been bugging us ever since. But everyone knows that, at one point, Hayner was totally gay for our Roxy. He sure did screw that one up!

Roxas laughed bitterly. "Yeah, totally. I'm definitely going back to a group of mafia-wannabes with nothing better to do than pick on the 'weak and powerless'. C'mon, Hayner, I thought you were better than this."

Hayner almost growled, although I think a little house cat would look more threatening. "Well, at least I have enough self-preservation instincts not to keep company with a suicidal pyromaniac," he spat - obviously talking about Axel - as if it were the most horrible of all insults. Axel was probably just basking in it all; Suicidal Pyromaniac - there was one he hadn't heard before! Note sarcasm.

Aforementioned pyromaniac in question laughed, standing and slinging his arm over Roxy's shoulders. "So you're still jealous - is that it? You still jerking off to innocent lil Roxy's name in the middle of the night? Where the wild things are! Well, in this case, only _one_ wild thing."

Hayner turned a furious shade of red - obviously Axel had struck the bulls-eye: Pyne was still totally gay for Roxy. He scrabbled for the closest thing to him, which happened to be Bill's chicken-and-mayonnaise bun thing, and threw it straight at Axel's head, splattering mayonnaise all over his face. 'Course, that's not what it looked like... But that's enough of my dirty thoughts for the day.

"Oh, so it's a food fight you want, is it, pal? Well, it's a food fight you'll get!" Axel announced, instinctively picking up his tray of food and hiffing it at Hayner. This didn't go through too well for his two 'buddies', and so they retaliated, throwing whatever their hands could grab. In the space of about a minute or so, We - Axel, Roxas, Marluxia, Riku, Sora, Naminé, Demyx and I - were on a full-out food-fight with Them - Hayner, Pence and Olette. Minus Nams, her being all goody-two-shoes and can't-throw-for-shit. Personally, I was only throwing things because, well, I hadn't had this much fun since, er, probably a coupla years ago.

Within another ten minutes, the whole cafeteria had been caught in the swing and there was a global food-fight going on. There was no "Us" or "Them" anymore; it was all-on-all, whoever got hit got hit, no biggie. No one could see who was throwing what, anyway.

The smart kids got out of the cafe before anything funky could happen, the dumb ones staying out to see the food-fight to the end. Of course, most of those participating were only in it because they either thought they were "Defying the norm" or were just plain confused. It wasn't long before Cloud came along to split everyone up, and him being a part inverted magnet and all, people knew to run before he got to them. Except for the idiot newbies that thought to swear at him a coupla times. Poor buggers had a principal detention after school (which was pretty much just like a normal one, only they had to do it with _Cloud_).

"C'mon guys, let's run," Axel whispered, picking up Roxy as we all "exited" the room. Roxy being Roxy, he struggled against Axel, but to no avail. He only managed to turn around enough to watch Cloud glare at him as they left. Any old bugger could see that he was in trouble once they got home. Would hate to be him.

We caught Larxene, Xiggy and Kairi as we left, explaining to their confused faces that we'd explain later. Of course, they'd've had see all the people covered in food fleeing from the perimeter, so I think that might've cleared it up a little. We, ourselves, escaped pretty lightly; only Axel seemed to have suffered considerably with mayonnaise smothered all over his face and tomato sauce dripping down his chin and neck.

Larxene snorted. "Axel, you look like you've been having hot, sweaty, off-aim buttsecks with someone. You might want to do something about that."

Axel grinned. "Only my Roxy."

"Only _who's_ Roxy?" Roxas growled, smacking Axel upside the head. "And let me go, you Pedo-Leech. I'm not some sort of disabled idiot you can carry around to your liking."

Riku laughed, leading us outside and under our tree, which happened to be our backup spot incase the cafeteria flooded, or something of the equivalent. Some kids already happened to be there, so Riku kicked them out. Of course, he did it with _grace_ and _tact_... By swearing at them until they ran off, kicking them a coupla times on the way. Ah, my brother. I must be rubbing off on him. _Finally _. Now all he needs to do is openly admit he's gay, instead of keeping inside the closet.

That lunch passed as most lunchtimes were inclined to pass; with a lot of rude jokes and lack of eating of food and climbing of trees and watching as people almost fell out of said trees and laughing when someone _did_ fall out. Of course, we made sure they were fine, first. The most injuries anyone sustained was a bruise and some scratches. The worst anyone had gotten was a stick halfway imbedded in their arm, which looked pretty sore and gruesome, but wasn't really when it got all cleaned up. The stick was nice and straight and the end with all the pointy bits wasn't then end in him. So, all we had to do was yank it out.

"Hey, hey Zexi," Demyx laughed, probably high on the same stuff Sora was on, if the twin bouncing was anything to go by. "Zexi, Zexi, Zexi. Haha, you have a funneh name!"

Xiggy laughed. "Like you can talk, dear ol' Demmy of ours."

Demyx giggled, and there was no doubt he was absolutely positively high on, like, crack or marijuana or something. It was actually pretty funny, watching him and Sora run around terrorizing the school population in general. "Xiggy's a PIRATE!" He laughed, mock-swiping at Xigbar's eyepatch. How he'd been allowed to keep it was beyond me. Maybe he'd shown whatever's under there to someone official and traumatized them for life, or something. Hah. I would've liked to see Cloud in a dead faint on the floor.

Sora stopped and looked at Xigbar too. "You're right! Xiggy's a PIRATE! Where's yur booty, Xiggy? Can you say _''arr, me hearies!"_ for us?"

Xigbar smiled. "Arr, me hearties," he said weakly and monotonously, but there was a spark in his eye that told me that he was only playing with him. Xiggy was our very awesome pirate who, though he was getting 'old' and wasn't really a pirate, was as good as family when it came to Demyx and Sora. He liked to make them happy... He also liked to play a lot of jokes on them. His mood changed a lot, though it was normally stuck on 'happy' or 'horny'. Though, really, there wasn't much difference between the two.

"Sora, Xiggy's got some buried treasure over there by the water fountain," Kairi announced, smiling. "But you'll have to dig deep for it; I hear Xiggy buried it _real_ deep."

Excited, Sora ran over and started to dig madly - or, at least, he _tried_ to dig. Him not having a shovel and all might have hindered him a little.

We laughed, Sora and his escapades our in-house entertainment for the day. But, really, when wasn't he? Have to admit, though, it _was_ pretty funny. Demmy joined me not long after in my sitting-against-a-tree exercise. My heart skittered and jumped at how close he was. Ah, my poor heart. Probably doomed to die before I was twenty.

Demyx smiled, no longer high but still hy_per_. "Zexi, Zexi, come to band practice after school with me?" He whispered as the others were distracted.

I froze. Good mood: Gone.

--IX-VI--

**End Notes:** And there we go. Crappy end to the chapter, I know, but at least it's done and ready and all. Be glad it didn't take two months for this to get up here! Um, um, um, I had something really important to say, but I've forgotten. _Damn it._ Oh well.

Also, I haven't proofread it or had it beta'd, so if there are any mistakes, tell me, and I'll fix it.

Footnotes:

(1) - It's the 'pooped' thing again! Why do they all love to poop?!

(2) - My spellcheck tells me that 'pedophilic' is not a word. Instead, it gives me the options of 'pedophiliac' and 'pedophilia'. But I do not want nouns, I want an adjective, and this is what I deem as an adjective. So deal, oh spellcheck of mine.

And, as most desperate authors at the end of each chapter say...

Review!


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